Description
Creamy, cheesy, smoky, and spicy—all in one dish. This barbecue chicken mac and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food made with bold BBQ flavors, melty cheese, and tender chicken.
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken:
1½ lb chicken breasts, sliced in half
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp chipotle powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oil
⅓ cup barbecue sauce, more as needed
2 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)
Mac and Cheese:
12 oz medium pasta shells (about 2 cups dry)
4 Tbsp butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
½ tsp salt & pepper
½ tsp chipotle powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1½ cups milk (any kind, or chicken broth)
½ cup water (or broth)
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions
1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, chipotle powder, and garlic powder.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 8–10 minutes per side until it reaches 165ºF.
3. Remove from heat, let rest, then shred or chop. Toss with barbecue sauce and hot sauce if using. Set aside.
4. Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
5. In the same pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux; cook 1 minute.
6. Add salt, pepper, chipotle powder, and garlic powder. Gradually whisk in milk and water. Simmer until thickened.
7. Stir in shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheeses until melted.
8. Add pasta and shredded BBQ chicken. Mix until coated.
9. (Optional) Transfer to a 9×9 casserole dish. Top with extra cheese and BBQ sauce. Bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes until bubbly.
10. Garnish with cilantro or green onions. Serve hot.
Notes
Use rotisserie chicken for a quick version.
Gluten-free pasta and flour work just as well.
Swap in smoked gouda or Monterey Jack for fun variations.
Add cooked bacon or jalapeños for extra heat and crunch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: American BBQ Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 529
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 875mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 104mg